Pune: The consent for Moshi’s waste-to-energy plant to operate, issued by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act expired on June 30, eight days before the administrative building at the facility collapsed after being struck by tons of dislodged garbage, killing nine people.Antony Lara Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Antony Waste Handling Cell Ltd that operates the plant, told TOI, “On May 13, 2026, PCMC (on behalf of the company) submitted an application for renewal of the consent to operate, prior to expiry of the existing consent.”Manchak Jadhav, sub-regional officer of MPCB’s Pune division said they received the renewal application and forwarded it to the board’s headquarters for processing.Waste-to-energy plants fall under the red category of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and rules governing them are strict, an expert said.A senior state environment department official added that an application for consent is considered deemed approved since it is in the administrative process, and the processing plants are allowed to operate. “Besides, the project is for solid waste management and no strict action like closure of its functioning is taken,” he added.Lawyer Shriram Pingle said companies awarded biomining and solid waste management work do not follow any conditions of the tender and often violate rules. “Many a time, govt bodies like MPCB help such companies misuse the law,” he added.The WTE plant was under a cloud last year after CPCB issued a show-cause notice to PCMC in July for failing to separately monitor and analyse bottom ash and fly ash generated at the facility.However, according to the latest compliance report submitted before the principal bench of the NGT in the ongoing matter related to waste-to-energy plants, the operator has since complied with the CPCB’s directions.quote I Delays in granting consent renewals are not uncommon. Applications undergo scrutiny by the board and require approval from the consent appraisal committee and the consent committee before the final nod is issuedAn MPCB official
